Control means and method for controlling an object

Abstract

A method and device are provided for displaying the effect of control action in real time by simultaneously applying the control action both to the system to be controlled and a computer model of the system. The effect of the control action on the model is displayed to the operator in a manner which dynamically decouples the display to the operator in a manner which dynamically decouples the display from the actual system's response over some suitable frequency range, thereby enhancing the stability and performance of the control system's operation. The method and device are described in conjunction with a preferred embodiment of an aircraft gun fire control system and variation of that system. A computer model or pseudo aircraft, termed a command aircraft, is programmed into a computer carried by an actual aircraft. In addition to providing conventional control information to the actual aircraft, the control actions of the pilot "fly" the command aircraft. Steering information provided to the pilot by means of display devices is referenced to the command aircraft rather than to the actual aircraft. This isolates the pilot from destabilizing time delays present in the actual aircraft, as well as from environmental disturbances such as wind gusts. The actual aircraft and the command aircraft are brought into coincidence, for example, either by slowly reorienting the command aircraft without degrading the advantages of command-aircraft-referenced displays during dynamic steering situations or by aerodynamic control action through the flight control system.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is: 
     
       1. A control device, comprising: operator input means for initiating commands to control an object;   means responsive to said operator input means for operating on said object in accordance with commands imposed by said operator input means;   means for displaying a result of a command imposed by said operator means;   means for providing an idealized time-response model of said object, said idealized time-response model providing means being operatively connected to said operator input means and to said display means, said idealized time-response model means positioning said display means according to the effect of said operator commands on said idealized time-response model means, said idealized time-response model means acting directly on said display means to display the effect of said operator commands at least initially independently of the effect of said operator commands on said object so that said display means presents the reaction of said idealized model means to said operator commands; and   means for correlating the positions of said idealized time-response model means and said object, said correlating means acting on said display means to eliminate real time steady state errors between said idealized time response model means and said object on said display means.   
     
     
       2. The control device of claim 1 wherein said object comprises an aircraft; said operator responsive means comprising a flight control system of said aircraft; said idealized time-response model means comprising roll model means, pitch model means, and yaw model means; said control device further including display processor means operatively connected between said roll, pitch, and yaw model means, and said display means; and lead angle computer means operatively connected to said display processor means for introducing lead angle computation directly into said display processor means. 
     
     
       3. The control device of claim 2 wherein said means for correlating the positions of said idealized time-response model means and said object comprises means for gradually bringing the position of said aircraft into coincidence with the position of said idealized model means, including feedback means for reducing the effect of said idealized time-response model means on said display means. 
     
     
       4. The control device of claim 3 further including means for introducing a traverse component of lead angle to the yaw model means of said idealized time-response model means. 
     
     
       5. The control device of claim 1 wherein said means for correlating the positions of said idealized time-response model means and said object comprises flight control coupler means for bringing the position of said aircraft into coincidence with the position of said idealized time-response model means. 
     
     
       6. The control device of claim 5 wherein said idealized time-response model means comprises roll model means, pitch model means, and yaw model means, said control device further comprising means for introducing a traverse correction lead angle component to the yaw model means of said idealized time-response model means. 
     
     
       7. The control device of claim 6 further including lead angle computer means, said lead angle computer means being operatively connected to said flight control coupler means. 
     
     
       8. In a steering system for an aircraft having a flight control system, display means for providing pilot steering information, and control means for commanding steering input commands to said flight control system, the improvement which comprises means for providing a command model aircraft, said command model aircraft receiving said steering input commands from a pilot of said aircraft, said command model having an output which operates said display means with reference to said command model, said command model acting to display the effect of said steering input commands at least initially independently of the effect of said steering input commands on said aircraft so that said display means presents the reaction of said command model to said steering input commands, and means for correlating the referenced display of said command model with the actual position of said aircraft, said correlating means reducing real time steady state errors between said command model and the actual position of said aircraft so that the display means presentation reflects the actual position of said aircraft. 
     
     
       9. The improvement of claim 8 wherein said correlating means comprises means for gradually bringing the position of said aircraft into coincidence with the position of said idealized model means, including feedback means for reducing the effect of said command model on said display means. 
     
     
       10. The improvement of claim 9 wherein said command model means comprises roll model means, pitch model means, and yaw model means, a display processor means operatively connected between said roll, pitch and yaw model means and said display means, and lead angle computer means operatively connected to said display processor means for introducing lead angle computation directly into said display processor means. 
     
     
       11. The improvement of claim 8 wherein said correlating means comprises flight control coupler means for aligning the position of said aircraft with the position of said command model. 
     
     
       12. The improvement of claim 11 wherein said command model means comprises roll model means, pitch model means, and yaw model means, said flight control coupler means including means for introducing a traverse component lead angle into the output of said yaw model means. 
     
     
       13. A method for controlling an object, comprising: generating an idealized model of the object;   connecting a commanding control means for instituting control commands both to the object being controlled and to the idealized model of the object;   providing a display for displaying a result of a control command;   connecting said display to said idealized model so that the display shows the effect of the control command on the idealized model, the effect so displayed at least initially being independent of the effect of the control command on the object so that said display presents the reaction of said idealized model to the control command; and   correlating the state of the idealized model with the state of the object under control so that the real time steady state condition of the idealized model concurs with the real time steady state condition of the object under control.   
     
     
       14. The method of claim 13 wherein said correlating step further includes the step of reducing the effect of said idealized model on said display so that said display corresponds to the actual position of said object after some predetermined time period. 
     
     
       15. The method of claim 14 for use in an aircraft system, said aircraft system including means for computing lead angle, further including the step of introducing a lead angle representation directly into the display result of said control command. 
     
     
       16. The method of claim 15 wherein said lead angle introduction step further includes the step of providing a traverse component of lead angle, and computing a correction factor for the traverse component of lead angle during an initial time period after a control command. 
     
     
       17. The method of claim 13 wherein said correlating step further includes the step of conforming the state of said object to the state of said idealized model by bringing the real time condition of the object under control into agreement with the real time condition of the idealized model. 
     
     
       18. The method of claim 17 for use in an aircraft system, said aircraft system including means for computing lead angle and flight control means for controlling the position of said aircraft, further including the step of introducing the computed lead angle directly into said flight control system and indirectly into the resulting display observed by a pilot. 
     
     
       19. The method of claim 18 wherein said computed lead angle includes a traverse component and an elevation component, said idealized model including roll axis model means, pitch axis model means, and yaw axis model means, the traverse component of lead angle being combined with an output of said yaw model means. 
     
     
       20. A method for controlling an aircraft system, said aircraft system having control means, comprising: generating an idealized model of the aircraft;   providing data from the idealized model aircraft to the pilot of the actual aircraft;   connecting a means for generating the idealized model to the aircraft control means so that commands of the pilot are reflected in the model and in the data provided to the pilot before they are reflected in the actual aircraft, the data provided to the pilot at least initially being independent of the effect of the commands of the pilot on the actual aircraft so that the pilot can observe the reaction of the commands on idealized model prior to the reaction of the commands on the actual aircraft; and   correlating the position of the idealized aircraft with the actual aircraft, said correlating means acting to reduce real time steady state errors between said idealized model and the position of said aircraft.   
     
     
       21. A control device for an aircraft, comprising: operator input means for initiating commands to control said aircraft, said operator input means including a flight control system of said aircraft;   means responsive to said operator input means for operating on said aircraft in accordance with commands imposed by said operator input means;   means for displaying a result of command imposed by said operator input means;   means for providing an idealized time response model of said aircraft, said idealized time-response model providing means being operatively connected to said operator input means and to said display means, said idealized time-response model means positioning said display means according to the effect of said operator commands on said idealized time-response model means, said idealized time-response model means comprising roll model means, pitch model means, and yaw model means;   display processor means operatively connected between said roll, pitch and yaw model means and said display means;   lead angle computer means operatively connected to said display processor means for introducing lead angle computation directly into said display processor means;   means for introducing a traverse component of lead angle to the yaw model means of said idealized time-response model means; and   means for correlating the positions of said idealized time-response model means and said aircraft, said correlating means including means for gradually bringing the position of said aircraft into coincidence with the position of said idealized model means, including feedback means for reducing the effect of said idealized timeresponse model means.   
     
     
       22. A control device, comprising: operator input means for initiating commands to control an object;   means responsive to said operator input means for operating on said object in accordance with commands imposed by said operator input means;   means for displaying a result of a command imposed by said operator input means;   means for providing an idealized time-response model of said object, said idealized time-response model providing means being operatively connected to said operator input means and to said display means, said idealized time-response model means positioning said display means according to the effect of said operator commands on said idealized time-response model means, said idealized time-response model means including roll model means, pitch model means and yaw model means;   means for introducing a traverse correction lead angle component to the yaw model means of said idealized time-response model means; and   means for correlating the positions of said idealized time-response model means and said object, said correlating means comprising flight control coupler means for bringing the position of said aircraft into coincidence with the position of said idealized time-response model means.   
     
     
       23. The control device of claim 22 including lead angle computer means, said lead angle computer means being operatively connected to said flight control coupler means.